Dennis Rodman: Jailed American not my problem

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Rodman has just returned from his second visit to North Korea this year

A North Korea expert says it's too early to talk about whether the baby is a likely heir

Eccentric former basketball star Dennis Rodman may not have brought imprisoned American Kenneth Bae back with him from North Korea, but he did emerge with something to announce.

Along with representatives from Paddy Power, an online betting company, he will put together a "basketball diplomacy" event involving players from North Korea, he said Monday.

Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea 18 photos

Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Dennis Rodman sings "Happy Birthday" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before an exhibition basketball game in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Wednesday, January 8. In his latest round of "basketball diplomacy," Rodman made his fourth visit to North Korea, one of the world's most totalitarian states, to participate in a basketball game between North Korea and a team of former NBA players.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman bows to Kim, seated above in the stands, before the basketball game on January 8.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman stands up after he and fellow former NBA players completed a television interview at a hotel in Pyongyang on Tuesday, January 7.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Son Kwang Ho, vice minister of North Korea's Sports Ministry, greets former NBA star Dennis Rodman at the airport in Pyongyang on Monday, January 6.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman plays one-on-one with a North Korean player during a basketball practice session in Pyongyang on Friday, December 20, 2013. During the session, Rodman selected the members of the North Korean team who will play in Pyongyang against visiting NBA stars on January 8, the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman holds a cigar as he speaks to North Korean basketball players during a practice session in Pyongyang on December 20.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman attracts notice as he enters the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on Thursday, December 19.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman arrives at Beijing's airport before his flight to North Korea on December 19.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman shows photos of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while talking to journalists at the Beijing airport on September 7 after his second trip to the reclusive, nuclear-armed nation. Rodman returned from the communist country announcing he will put together a "basketball diplomacy" event with players from North Korea. But he put a damper on any speculation he might have been trying to free imprisoned American Kenneth Bae.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman shows a photo of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he arrives at the Beijing airport on September 7. At a news conference Monday, September 9, he called Kim a "very good guy."

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman faces questions about detained American Bae at the Beijing airport on September 7. "It is not my job to talk about Kenneth Bae," he told reporters.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman arrives at North Korea's Pyongyang airport on Tuesday, September 3. In a later interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, the ex-basketball star leaked the purported name of Kim's baby daughter.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Son Kwang Ho, vice chairman of North Korea's Olympic Committee, greets Rodman at the Pyongyang airport on September 3.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – The retired NBA star faced criticism over his February visit to see the ruler of the repressive state. That trip came during a period of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Airport staff take pictures of the former NBA star at a check-in counter at China's Beijing Capital International Airport on September 3 while he was heading to North Korea.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – On an earlier visit, Rodman and Kim watch a basketball game together in this image released by HBO for an episode of the documentary series "Vice" which aired in June.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman walks by the base of the Tower of the Juche Idea in Pyongyang in March 2013, in this image released by the Korean Central News Agency.

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Photos: Dennis Rodman in N. Korea18 photos

Dennis Rodman's trips to North Korea – Rodman and Kim share a toast in North Korea in February.

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EXPAND GALLERY

Dennis Rodman conference 6 photos

Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – Former NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman speaks at a press conference at the Soho Grand Hotel in New York on Monday, September 9.

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Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – The former NBA player speaks about the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's baby daughter, and the future of the dynasty that has ruled the isolated and impoverished state for three generations.

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Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – Addressing comments to President Obama, Rodman asks why Obama is afraid to talk to him. "You're not afraid to talk to Beyonce and Jay-Z, why not me?"

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Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – "Just meet (Kim Jong Un), or even give him a call," Rodman said, addressing his comments to President Obama. "That's all he wants."

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Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – Rodman announced plans to stage two exhibition games in North Korea in January. He plans on going back to North Korea, and said he will bring a team of former NBA players with him.

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Dennis Rodman conference6 photos

Dennis Rodman press conference – Rodman described Kim, who sits atop one of the world's most repressive regimes, as "a good dad." Rodman said he learned the name of the North Korean leader's daughter, Ju Ae, and even said he held her during his second visit to the isolated country.

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At a news conference, he called Kim Jong Un, ruler of the repressive state, a "very good guy."

Rodman also set tongues wagging over the weekend by leaking the purported name of Kim's baby daughter.

Returning from his second trip to the reclusive, nuclear-armed nation, Rodman gave an interview Sunday with The Guardian, a British newspaper, in which he described the "relaxing time by the sea" he spent with Kim and his family.

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The personal life of Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, is shrouded in secrecy. Even his exact age remains unconfirmed by outsiders. (He is believed to be in his early 30s.)

Speculation sprang up last year that Ri might be pregnant after a photo carried by state media showed her wearing a long coat that could have been hiding a bump. But North Korean authorities kept quiet about the matter.

The flamboyant Rodman, 52, shed more light on the situation in his Guardian interview, including the daughter's name.

"I held their baby Ju Ae and spoke with Ms. Ri as well," he told the newspaper.

He described Kim, who sits atop one of the world's most repressive regimes, as "a good dad."

Rodman had previously made no secret about his desire to help Bae, who has been transferred to a hospital after his health deteriorated. The retired NBA player once tweeted that he wanted Kim to "do him a solid" by freeing the American prisoner.

But Rodman's friendship with Kim, an avid basketball fan, doesn't appear to carry enough weight to get Bae out of jail.

U.S. officials have repeatedly called on North Korean officials to release Bae, who was convicted earlier this year of attempting to bring down the government. Pyongyang last month abruptly withdrew an invitation to a U.S. envoy who was to travel there to try to secure Bae's release.

Previous criticism

Rodman was criticized over his first visit to North Korea, in February, during which he was pictured laughing and eating while watching a basketball game with Kim.

That visit came during a period of escalating tensions in which North Korea threatened missile strikes on the United States and South Korea. The situation has gradually calmed over recent months.

In his comments to The Guardian on Sunday, Rodman, one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history, continued to defend the North's young leader.

"Kim is a great guy, he loves basketball, and he's interested in building trust and understanding through sport and cultural exchanges," he said.